Today's Favorite Verse: Zechariah 4:11, 14

Today's Favorite Verse: Zechariah 4:11, 14

"Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?

Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."

The interpretation of the olive tree and candlestick is given. It is the two anointed. More is given in Revelations on the roll of these two special witnesses.

"And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth."

(Revelation 11:3-4)

These two witnesses will be raised up to the Jewish nation in the last days. They will prophesy and be given the sealing power of the priesthood. They will be able to shut the heavens, have power to turn water into blood, and smith the earth with all plagues. Eventually they will be killed and their bodies will lie in the streets for three and a half days. The people of the earth will rejoice over their deaths and give gifts to one another. Then a great voice will be heard saying "Come up hither" and these two witnesses will ascended up to heaven. This will be the end times prior to the Savior's second coming.

What amazes me as I review this part of Revelations is that the people of the earth rejoice over their deaths. It seems pretty clear on what is happening when you see these two witnesses and the signs that are given. How could you mistake who they are? Why is it not a wake up call as they witness them using their priesthood power? I suppose its pretty strong delusions that make you believe a lie. Looking around our world right now I can see how that's possible.

Then I remember Elder Renlund's BYU Education Week talk this year. How we cannot always believe what our eyes see, we need to use reason and faith.

“Observation, reason and faith facilitate revelation and enable the Holy Ghost to be a reliable, trustworthy and beloved companion.”

“These elements will be key factors in producing ‘spiritual momentum in our lives,’ helping us move ‘forward amid … fear and uncertainty.’”

Day 3074

Today's Favorite Verse: Zechariah 3:1, 3-4

Today's Favorite Verse: Zechariah 3:1, 3-4

"And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.

And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment."

Resist = accuse

I pondered on the filthy garments and what it meant. Joshua didn't need to ask to be made clean, implying repentance and forgiveness. It was told to the angels to take away the filthy garment and for him to be given a change of raiment. I would think the filth then on the garments were not from Joshua's sins. The filth was on the outside and not on the inside. Before this happened it speaks of Satan standing there and accusing him. It mentions Joshua's office as high priest so it wasn't necessarily Joshua being railed against it was his office and what he represented. The filth on Joshua's garments were coming from the sins of the world. Joshua is being made clean of that. The change of garment can also represent doing away with old and putting on new. This made me reflect on the temple and the first time I went. How I made new covenants and put away the old and put on new.

Day 3073

Today's Favorite Verse: Zechariah 2:7

Today's Favorite Verse: Zechariah 2:7

"Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon."

I was curious about how we would deliver ourselves. The footnote for deliver leads to this verse.

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

(Revelation 18:4)

I know there are and will be many plagues. Not all of them are physical diseases. Pornography was a plague of our day we were warned about for several years. It's interesting how in General Conference the discussion has moved on. I feel like if you weren't listening and following the counsel given by the prophet then, you would be even more lost day. So much emphasis has been on being able to receive personal revelation and guidance from the spirit. Something that is lost if you dwell in that plague.

The one physical plague that has been with us is Covid-19. I pondered on how many were and are lost because they believed the lies of the world and wisdom of men regarding it, and rejected the counsel given by the prophet of God. They may not feel they are lost today, but like those that never over came the plague of pornography, the cost of having the spirit as your guide will be evident in the years to come.

Day 3072

Today's Favorite Verse: Zechariah 1:8-9

Today's Favorite Verse: Zechariah 1:8-9

"I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.

Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be."

I love how this chapter shows how a vision is given and the interpretation is received. It's that question and answer session that the spirit uses to instruction. I am reminded what Joseph Smith said about interpretations of vision or figures.

“Whenever God gives a vision of an image, or beast, or figure of any kind, He always holds Himself responsible to give a revelation or interpretation of the meaning thereof, otherwise we are not responsible or accountable for our belief in it. Don’t be afraid of being damned for not knowing the meaning of a vision or figure, if God has not given a revelation or interpretation of the subject.”

(Joseph Smith, Jr. "History of the Church", 5:343)

“Oh, ye elders of Israel, hearken to my voice; and when you are sent into the world to preach, tell those things you are sent to tell; preach and cry aloud, ‘Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; repent and believe the Gospel.’ Declare the first principles, and let mysteries alone, lest ye be overthrown. Never meddle with the visions of beasts and subjects you do not understand”

(Joseph Smith, Jr "History of the Church", 5:344).

We also have this warning from President Nelson.

"As any good thing can be misused, a word of warning may be appropriate. The scriptures don't have the answers to every question. Many important truths have yet to be revealed. Preoccupation with the so-called "mysteries" should be avoided. Beware also of private interpretation. Look to the living prophets and official policies for interpretation."

(Russell M. Nelson, “Living by Scriptural Guidance,” Oct 2000 General Conference)

Day 3071

Today's Favorite Verse: Haggai 2:9

Today's Favorite Verse: Haggai 2:9

"The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts."

Being in the house of the Lord brings peace. I pondered on the many special moments when my soul was comforted by serving in the house of the Lord.

Day 3070

Today's Favorite Verse: Haggai 1:4-7

Today's Favorite Verse: Haggai 1:4-7

"Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste?

Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. "

The Jews had returned to Jerusalem but failed to rebuild the temple. Haggai warns them to consider their ways. They would not be blessed with prosperity in any endeavor until they heeded the command to rebuild the temple.

"I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."

(Doctrine and Covenants 82:10)

This reminds me of something I learned when my life was out of balance. I had a running list of all these things that I wanted. As I obtain them, new things appeared on my list of wants. I was never satisfied with what I had. I kept looking for more. Then I found my list started to fade away. Then one day I realized it was gone. What changed? I certainly didn't have everything that was once on my list. The difference, I had started feeding my soul and it was now satisfied. You can never fill the soul with material things. Fill the soul and the temporal will be put in its proper place.

Day 3069

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 3:11, 15

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 3:11, 15

"In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

The Lord hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the Lord, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more."

This made me think of this verse in Malachi.

"But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:"

(Malachi 3:2)

It makes you sit still and weep knowing there are some that won't abide that day. Then I thought "How do I know I will?" I thought upon my prayers and ponderings and how the spirit guides me on what I need to correct and work on. I know I am hopelessly flawed. I'm a work in progress. Daily repentance helps me know that. When we pray and ask where we stand He will let us know. He will refine and wash you clean if you let Him. This isn't something that's a one and done. It's something you work at every day. Only pride would make you think otherwise.

Day 3068

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 2:3, 15

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 2:3, 15

"Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.

This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! everyone one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand."

Seeking meekness and righteousness is how we prepare for the Lord's second coming. What will destroy others is carelessness and pride. Pride is the only tool Satan has to overcome a righteous person. Pride will crack the armor of God around them.

Day 3067

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 1:14-17

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 1:14-17

"The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung."

Zephaniah is speaking to those in the last days, where we are now. He speaks of it being a day of trouble, distress, wasteness, desolation, darkness, gloominess, thick clouds of darkness. Men will cry and be in distress. This is the key part, that men will be blinded because of their sins. The reason this day is so dreadful and full of despair is because of their iniquity.

"And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity."

(Moroni 10:22)

There is peace in Christ, though storms may rage, we can walk in peace through it, when we put our trust in Christ. By his grace we will be strengthened to endure all things. Repent every day so you will not be blinded and be found worthy of His grace.

Day 3066

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 3:17-18

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 3:17-18

"Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation."

I selected this verse because it is so odd I read this today. I had a phone call this afternoon from someone that I haven't spoken to in a while. They told me that they needed the rain that maybe coming. They have not had rain all summer. It has been so dry that the trees had buds that never opened. There never were blossoms. It made me wonder what kind of crops would be harvested this year with those conditions. Such a small simple conversation, then I read these verses. What are the odds of that timing? It always make me think about how God knows what I will read today, so he gives me a little experience to make it more meaningful and thought provoking. I do rejoice that He is in the details.

Day 3065

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 2:14

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 2:14

"For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."

One day every knee will bow and confess that Jesus is the Christ. Until that day I pictured us preparing for that event. It made me think of all the temples dotting the earth.

Day 3064

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 1:2-4

Today's Favorite Verse: Habakkuk 1:2-4

"O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!

Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.

Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth."

Habakkuk wants to know why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Why God allows those that are wicked to overcome his people. I think that is a question everyone has asked at times. I was reminded today of a difficult period in my life and after thirty-plus years I see it in a different light. I can see what I learned and how it marked my path. How I learned to rely on God and his grace and mercy offered me. Sometimes we are just so close to the pain and injustice we don't realize how the Lord is molding us into what he needs us to be. The master's hands are upon us the whole time. We do not pass through it alone.

"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."

(Doctrine and Covenants 122:7)

Day 3063

Today's Favorite Verse: Nahum 3:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Nahum 3:4

"Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts."

It's one thing if you corrupt yourself and turn to evil. It's another when you sell it, preach it, and lead others astray. That is what it means by "selleth nations through her whoredoms". It is something we see in our day. Those that call evil good and good evil, that use power and influence to encourage others to accept sin and embrace it. I think the most evil among them are those that confuse and lead innocent children astray, and destroy the family.

Day 3062

Today's Favorite Verse: Nahum 2:3-4

Today's Favorite Verse: Nahum 2:3-4

"The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.

The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings."

The day of his preparation. Nahum is prophesying of signs to recognize when that final preparation period is to begin, before the Savior's second coming. I know the description of chariots as flaming torches that rage in the streets, and justle against each other, is thought of as cars. I think it can go a little further back in history than that, to the first stream locomotive. I find the time frames interesting.

Nahum prophecy was written between 660-606 BC. Lehi and his family left Jerusalem in 600 BC so Nahum could have been a contemporary. The first steam locomotive was built in 1804. Joseph Smith, Jr. was born in 1805. It wasn't until 1830 that the first public railway was open in the United States. It was in 1830 that the church was first organized, and the Book of Mormon was published about Lehi's family. The steam locomotive with its smokestack looks very much like a flaming torch. To stand near while one passes the ground would terribly shake. Anyone riding a train would feel how the cars jostle against each other. The time frame for the final preparation began almost 200 years ago. We are at the end of our preparation. As President Nelson has said "We are in the last half of the ninth inning.”

Day 3061